In These Dark Times
by thegirlwiththephoenixtattoo
Summary: The war is just beginning, and the students of Hogwarts are already struggling. In such darkness how can they find the light to survive? Coming together is their only option, but with so many forces pulling them apart what chance do they stand? A/N: If anyone would like to create an origional image for this story that would be lovely!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

She lifted the baby's legs up by her ankles, and then wiped her red bum. A loud crashing sound came from the next room followed by giggling. She sighed and applied some lotion to the red patchy areas.

"Better?" She cooed as she gently lowered the chubby, little legs and clipped the cloth diaper shut. The redheaded girl pulled the baby up off the changing carriage, carefully supporting her little neck, and hugged her to her chest. "You know Angelica, you were properly named. Your brothers? Not so much."

She walked them into the parlor to survey the damage. A sofa was on its side and the tea table upside down.

"Christopher! Tristian!" Called the redhead as she walked into the kitchen and paused by the vacant dinner table. "Honestly, I leave you alone for four bloody min—"

Something soft dropped on top of her head and then slowly slid down to her shoulder. She looked up to the ceiling to see the marinara sauce dripping down. _My fault, I guess, for serving spaghetti. _Angelica reached for the noodles, but the caretaker swept them onto the floor before she could get her chubby little fingers around them.

"No, no sweetie," She said as she placed her into her high chair and poured some breakfast cereal onto her tray, "that pasta's no good. I made it, remember?"

She let out another sigh and marched off into the next room in order to find the two missing boys.

The children's parents returned at a quarter to one, releasing her of her faux maternal duties and allowing her to return to her own house. Once she arrived back in her living room she quickly collapsed onto the couch.

She closed her eyes for a moment, but was awakened by a loud banging at the door. She kept her eyes clamped shut and attempted to swallow her pounding heart.

"Who is it?" she called from the couch.

"Lily?" Came a man's voice from the other side of the door. "Lily, it's me Remus!"

She pushed herself up off of the couch and slowly moved towards the door. She carefully pressed her hands against the door and squinted at the figure through the door's peephole.

"Lily, are you there?" he called out again.

The tall man grasped on to the back of his neck with one of his hands and shoved the other hand into his pocket. She bit her lip in anticipation as the light caught his face: strong definition, larger nose, smaller mouth, thick eye brows, brown eyes, and dirty blond hair.

"Remus, hi," she said as she pulled the door open and stepped into the doorway. "I'm sorry did I know you were coming over?"

"No, I'm just popping in unannounced." He smiled sheepishly and gave a little shrug.

"At…" She glanced down at her watch and checked the time. "One in the morning?"

"I know it's late—"

"Early technically," she tried to smile; she could tell he was uncomfortable being there on her porch. "But it must be important for you to well never mind all that, come on in."

She stepped to the side allowing him to pass, but as he crossed the threshold a loud pop sounded in the living room as two more men appeared in the house.

They were around the same height as Remus, but the similarities in appearance stopped there. One, with dark hair and glasses, seemed to be supporting the other, who was limp under his arm.

"Alright then, Moonie, where should I put him?" asked the man with glasses as he glanced around the room.

"What the—Remus!" Exclaimed Lily as she smacked her friend on the arm. "What the hell?"

He flinched at the contact and shrunk back towards the wall. "I'm sorry! I didn't know where else to bring him! And James was supposed to give me five minutes!"

"How about a sobriety meeting?" She bit as she advanced towards the two.

"He's not drunk," explained James through gritted teeth, "but he is heavy! Where can I—"

"Outside." She retorted, crossing her arms.

"Lilyflower—"

"Don't you—"

"Lily, please let me explain," begged Remus as he strode over to them.

"I'm setting him on the couch," James grunted as he haphazardly placed his friend on the sofa Lily had just occupied herself.

"He's not drunk—"

"No!" she exclaimed as she ran over to the sofa. She looked down to see the sleeping boy, Sirius Black, lay on her couch. _I am never going to be able to move him myself._ Her frustration boiled over as she shoved James. "What kind of friend are you to let him get in this bad of shape and then not even care for him?"

"—he's been hexed."

She whipped around to find Remus standing right behind her. "By who?" She demanded.

"His parents." Growled James after he regained his balance and walked back to the sofa. "We don't know what they've done to him, but he's in bad shape."

She turned her eyes towards the sleeping body, and sighed as she kneeled down next to him on the floor. "Black? Can you hear me?" She waited a moment before placing her hand on his shoulder and shaking him lightly, "Sirius?"

She brushed his long, black bangs out of his face to see his eyebrows scrunched in pain. He let out a gurgling sound.

"We have to take him to hospital."

"We can't."

She glared up at James. "Why the hell not?"

He too, apparently, was loosing his patience. His voice rose as he spoke. "Cause if we take him there his parents will find him and lock him back up in that nut house of theirs!"

"Not to mention," added Remus, "we'll most likely be charged with kidnapping…"

"Kidnapping?" she looked between the two and groaned."So what you want _me_ to heal him?"

"You're always going off about how you're going to be a Healer!" Shrugged James somewhat pathetically.

"Yes, _going_ to be a Healer!" Sputtered Lily. "In the future—not now!"

"Well why not start now?"

"Because I haven't got the training that's why! I could screw up." She looked back down at Sirius and saw that his bangs had fallen in front of his face again.

"You're a perfectionist. It's impossible for you to screw up."

She narrowed her eyes as she looked back at him. "Your perception of me is incomprehensibly skewed."

"Lily, please," whispered Remus as he knelt down next to her. "We don't have anywhere else to go. You're the only one that can help us."

She turned towards her friend and smiled sadly. She knew he was right. James's mother was healer and could have fixed Sirius up easily had she not died of cancer two years earlier, and Lily would never admit it to either of them but she agreed that the hospital was too risky.

"My wand's on my nightstand."

Remus jumped to his feet and ran out of the room towards the back of the house. He'd only visited Lily's house once before, but it was small enough that he could remember exactly which rooms were where.

"Help me turn him," she said quietly as she stood and took Sirius's shoulders in her hands. James nodded and took his friends feet. Sirius groaned as they arranged him lying facing up. "So you have no idea what happened to him?"

James merely shook his head. "He sent a message, but it was cut off so Remus and I went straight over and his father was just… slicing him."

Lily noticed his ears turning red; something she had learned over the years meant he was too angry to be rational.

She nodded, attempting to take control of the situation she had some how landed herself in, and turned towards her new patient. "Right, well from the looks of it the cuts seem mostly superficial. Help me undress him."

As Lily began to unbutton his mangled shirt, James carefully slid Sirius's pants down to his ankles.

"Never thought I'd do this to a mate…" he mumbled to himself.

"Fifth year," replied Lily automatically.

"What?"

She glanced up to meet his gaze, but then returned her focus to the buttons. "Right before our O.W.L.s you pantsed him in the Great Hall."

"Right… you remember that?" He looked over at her curiously as he removed the pants from his friend's ankles and bunched the torn off clothe into a ball.

"I got an E on Ancient Runes."

He couldn't help but smirk. "Poor thing."

"Merlin" gasped Lily once the shirt was completely unbuttoned and his flesh was completely visible.

"I was only kidding—"

"No not that," she said cutting him off. "We have to take him to the hospital."

"But the Ministry—"

"_Must_be informed. James," she said desperately trying to explain the extremity of his friend's injuries. "He wasn't just hexed. His parents performed the Cruciatus curse on him." She met James's stare with watery eyes. "We have to report this—"

"We can't—"

"We must!"

"It's not what Sirius would want!"

"Since when do I ever care what he wants?"

"Got it!" Called Remus as he ran back into the room. "But it wasn't on your night stand or in your room at all for that matter."

She reached out for it, and he gently placed it in her hand.

**"**Why was it in the toilet?"

She simply rolled her eyes. "Petunia."

"There has to be something you can do for him," said James as he gripped the edge of the sofa tightly.

"Sure there is," said Remus with forced cheer. "This is Lily we're talking about. Right?"

She grimaced but turned back to Sirius. "There are some vials in the shed out back, up on the top shelf on the wall. I need them."

"I'm on it!" Remus spun on his heel and ran out of the room again. This time, however, he avoided the side corridor and went straight through the kitchen into the garden. It was dark out, but he could still make out the large shape of the garden shed. He pushed on the old wood door, but it didn't budge. He pulled out his wand and groped the paneling until he found a padlock.

"Alohamora," he whispered.

The lock clicked, allowing him to slip it off its metal slip and shove the door open, nearly knocking into something inside. He flicked his wand, sending light into the small room, and looked around. The old gardening shed had been completely refurbished. Three long tables stood parallel to each other and were all topped with bubbling cauldrons, tubes, and flasks. The walls were lined with shelves all carrying different plants. He carefully moved towards the back of the shed, but was struck on the arm by a drooping purple flower.

He let out a hissing sound as he grasped his arm, now streaked with boils. He pulled down his sleeve and quickened his pace. The back wall was lined with shelves as well, however no plants were kept on it. On the left side were rows of small vials, and on the right were an impressive number of books.

He scooped all of the top shelf's vials into his arms and ran back into the house, careful to avoid touching any more plants.

"I didn't know which—" He panted as he knelt down next to the sofa and carefully released the vials on the floor.

"Perfect," smiled Lily as she began to pick through the vials and squint at the labels.

James walked back into the room with a large ceramic bowl and a towel thrown over his shoulder. "Got the bowl and the towel. Now what?"

"Start washing him off while I work on his eyes," ordered Lily as she poured some liquid into her hand and began to work it into the skin around Sirius's eyes.

"But your couch—"

"Doesn't matter." She stated without looking up from her work."Just a couch."

James smiled down at her, but was prompted by Remus's coughing to clean off his friend's legs. With Lily giving the orders and James and Remus following them, the three continued to work on the unconscious Sirius's body well into the later morning.

Around nine, Lily and James sat back and watched a bandaged Sirius sleep peacefully.

Lily stretched her arms above her head and let out a large yawn. "He'll have some scars, but he should be fully functional… I hope."

"What are you nervous about? He looks good."

"Just wondering about the extent of the brain damage," she shrugged as she resettled and pulled her knees to her chest.

"How do you know there's damage?"

"The Cruciatus curse…" She yawned again and spoke more slowly. "If the person who casts it does it… thoroughly enough, then the brain can suffer permanent damage."

"What kind of damage?"

Lily shrugged. "Memory loss for starters—short and long term depending—a multitude of personality disorders, paralysis, blindness, speech imperatives—"

"Okay I got it."

Lily winced slightly, knowing she had done it again. "Did you message your father?" She turned her head to look at him. "James, you promised."

"I know, and I will."

"When? Do it now. The sooner you do it the better the case we'll have against them."

"We?" He raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes and looked back towards the sofa. "Sirius. You know what I meant. It's been a long night."

James nodded, but didn't take his eyes off of her. "I'll tell him once he gets back. I don't want to distract him while he's working."

She merely nodded.

James stretched out his long legs and stared at his feet. "You were right last night by the way."

"That we should have taken him to the hospital? I know. Do you think he'll ever forgive me for ruining his abs?" She tilted her head to the side, trying to image what his body would like in a week or two without the bandages; however she hadn't meant to fill her mind with images of a naked Sirius and closed her eyes trying to clear her thoughts.

"No, when you questioned my ability to be a friend." She opened her eyes and turned towards James, hoping to see the answer to her confusion in his face. "I never should have let this happen to him. I should have done something."

"Don't do that," she whispered.

"Do what? Say the truth?" His eyes met hers, but she didn't break the contact.

"Do the should've would've game. Nothing good comes of it. You did everything you could—you did everything right last night. He called you and you came. You realized you couldn't heal him so you found someone who could. You were a good friend."

His eyebrows lowered and his nostrils flared. Lily sat back slightly, caught off guard by her inability to read his facial expressions. "I knew they were hurting him. He never said it out right but I could tell. I knew and I didn't do anything about it."

Pain. Painful guilt. It was a feeling Lily was familiar with. Sometimes over the summer she had thought it was her only friend. For a moment she stopped thinking. Her hand moved on its own and placed itself on to James's upper arm. "Then do something about it now."

"Tea is ready!" called Remus as he walked back into the room from the kitchen.

Lily instantly dropped her hand and smiled. "Brilliant."

Remus carefully lowered the tray he was carrying onto the floor and sat in front of the pair. Lily scooted forward and began to pour the tea into the three cups Remus had found in the cupboard. She handed Remus his first to help with the sudden coughing spasm he had started. Then she held one out to James, but he simply stared at her as if she weren't really there.

"Prongs," hissed Remus.

James blinked and then glanced at Remus, who nodded at the tea Lily was holding, and then blushed as he took it from Lily. "Thanks," he mumbled.

She merely nodded and held her cup close to her chest. "Pleasant holiday, Remus?"

"Yes," he said after blowing on the hot liquid, "Very pleasant. Most of it I've actually spent at Potter Manor with James and Sirius."

"You've all been living together?"

Remus nodded. "Dad's been sick, and Mum's been taking care of him so I didn't want to get in the way."

Lily nodded, although she could never imagine Remus Lupin being in anyone's way. "If Sirius was living with you, how did he… Well why was he with his parents?"

James shifted as he started at his cup. "He went back to speak with his brother. Things turned… bad."

_Regulus_, thought Lily. Recounting the few times she'd heard of him from Severus.

"How's Petunia?" asked Remus, attempting to change the subject to something lighter.

"Married," sighed Lily as she stirred in some extra sugar.

Remus began to choke on his tea, which forced James to smack him on the back several times.

"I'm fine!" he coughed as he swatted James away. "When did she… Who—How?"

Lily smiled, trying to figure out how to answer a question she still asked herself. _Stick to the facts_, she thought. "She married her boyfriend, Vernon Dursley, in the beginning of the summer. I was a bridesmaid."

James raised his eyebrow at Remus's toothy grin. "Are there any pictures?"

Suddenly the phone began to ring in the kitchen. Lily placed her cup back on the train and stood. "None that you're ever going to see."

"Oh come on!" he called after as she ran to the kitchen.

"Hi Mum!" they heard her exclaim in the kitchen. "No, it's not too early. I've been up for hours…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lily sat on her knees hunched over Sirius's abdomen as she carefully wove the flowing string emanating from her wand through his flesh.

"Ow," he groaned as he lay with both his hands resting behind his neck.

"Sorry," mumbled Lily as she tilted her wand upwards to tighten the stitching. "I told you I'm not a healer."

"Ow."

"Lily?" James called from across the room.

"Yes?"

"What's this above the fire place?"

"A wreath," she said not looking up from her work.

"No bellow that. On the mantel."

"I don't know. There's loads of things on the mantel."

Suddenly the skin jerked around her stitching and Sirius groaned as he flopped back down.

"Don't do that!" she exclaimed as she smacked him on the upper arm.

"Ow!" He moved his hand to cover the now reopened wound but she swatted it away. "He's pointing to a trophy. Purple stem?"

"Oh that's mine," she said as she turned around, accidentally bringing her wand with her.

"Ow!"

"Sorry!" She apologized sheepishly. She lowered her wand so as to loosen the ties, while being careful to not loosen them too much."Uh that's mine."

"What's it for?" asked James as he held it in his hands.

"What does it say on it?"

"St. Sebastian's Spelling Bee Champion 1968."

"There you go."

Sirius smirked and lifted his head up to see his doctor. "How do you spell 'facetious'?"

She continued her stitching without looking up to meet his gaze. "S-I-R-I-U-S"

"Hey!"

"Lily?" James called again.

"Hmm?"

"What's this picture of?"

"There are lots of pictures on the mantel, Potter."

Sirius lifted his head again, but Lily was careful to place her hand on his sternum to stop him from moving too far. "Second to the far left."

Lily nodded. "That's me and my sister."

"Petunia?" Asked James as he set down the small trophy and picked up the frame.

"Uh-huh. We went to the zoo for my seventh birthday."

"You look close."

"We were." She flicked her wand upwards with more velocity than she had meant for.

"Ow!" cried Sirius as he tried to touch the cut again.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed ash she shoved his hand out of her way. "Almost done, I promise."

"No more talking," he grumbled as he lay back down, gripping the back of his neck with his hands.

A few moments of silence passed, until James broke Sirius's orders.

"Lily?"

"What?"

"Where are your parents?"

Her wand froze for a moment, but then continued its rhythmic movements. "Gone."

"What do you mean gone?" asked Sirius, clearly forgetting his own gag order.

"I mean they aren't here."

"Where are they?" asked James as he sat on the arm of the sofa.

"Visiting my Gran."

"Why?" Sirius asked as he attempted to kick James.

"Because she's sick, any more questions?" The thread disappeared from her wand, and she set it down on the ground grabbing a rectangularly cut gauze and placing it over the disappearing stiches.

"What's she sick with?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but then sighed. "None of your business. You're fine. Go run and play."

Lily stood up and brushed off her legs as Sirius chucked a pillow at James. Remus, who had been sitting in a near by armchair reading the paper, got up and followed her. When he entered the kitchen she was already at the sink scrubbing dishes. He leaned against a counter and watched her for a moment.

"Your grandmother died last year."

"What do you want Remus? I healed your friend, harbored two potential fugitives—"

"Lil—"

"Potter never even messaged his father, did he?" Her shoulders began to shake almost violently as she quickened her scrubbing.

"Where are your parents?" He asked her, his voice flat and demanding.

"With my aunt!" She froze her hands and closed her eyes, cursing her inability to stay collected when flustered. She dropped the sponge in the soapy water and turned to face her friend. "Remus, I'm sorry but you have to go, the lot of you out as soon as possible. You're not safe here."

He nodded and walked over to her. "We'll go. All of us, we'll be out of here by tonight."

She smiled and returned her attention to the pile of dirty dishes. "Good."

"And you're coming with us."

The plate she had been cleaning slipped from her fingers and fell back into the water, colliding with the other dishes. Lily didn't notice. She whipped her head around to face Remus. "What? No I-I can't."

"You said it yourself it's not safe here!"

"I'll be fine!"

He dropped his voice and leaned in so that only Lily could hear him. "You would have never sent your family away if you could protect them better yourself."

Lily gaped at him. There were no words she could say that could refute him. Any excuses she had been telling herself wouldn't stand with Remus, and she knew it.

Remus seemed to know it too, as he took her by the shoulders and sat her down at the kitchen table. He handed her a dishtowel and sat down next to her. "Tell me what's going on," he said as he scooted closer to her.

She looked down at her hands as she wiped the soapsuds off. "They… they started making threats."

"Why?"

She glanced up to meet his eyes. She could feel the water gathering, but she didn't bother to hide the tears."It's my fault."

"No it's not—"

"Yes it is. I thought I wanted it." She laughed as the water in her eyes over flowed. "I thought it would look good on a resume."

"What would?"

She set the towel down on the table and walked over to a near by drawer. She pulled it open and took something from within it, but held it in a closed hand until she stood in front of her chair. Then, she opened her palm and held it out for Remus to take.

He waited a moment, and then carefully picked up the tiny gold pin she offered him. "Head Girl... Congratulations."

"Mum was so proud. She was going to make me a special cake." Remus looked up to see her lower lip begin to quiver. He frowned and stood up, embracing her in a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder, embarrassed for the water works but relieved to be touched by someone familiar again.

"Why Remus? If Dumbledore knew I would be targeted, why would he do this to me?"

"He couldn't have known this would happen." He squeezed her tighter.

She pulled away and wiped the fallen tears from her cheeks. "He knows everything."

He brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Why would Death Eaters be making threats against you for being Head Girl? It's not _that_ big of a deal."

She smiled sadly and sniffed back a few tears, evidentially through with crying. "I looked it up. There's never been a Mudblood Head Girl before."

"Don't call yourself that."

She shrugged. "Why not? It's what I am."

Remus cupped her face with his large hands."Don't you dare say that, and don't think that for a second. You are more than your blood. You are Lily Evans, brilliant witch and favorite daughter—"

"Remus!" She pushed him lightly on his chest, unable to control the laughter that erupted from her chest.

"You know it's the truth."

She smiled as she placed her hands over his."I missed you."

"I missed you, too. That's why I'm so happy you're going to be living with us for the rest of the summer."

"Remus, I can't—" She dropped her hands, and took a step back.

"You, me, James, and Sirius all in one big, huge, mansion—"

She walked over to the sink and released the drain so that the water receded down the rusty pipe. "One of us would die, at _least_."

"It has it's own library, did I mention that? Four floors!"

"The public library in town is just fine for me, thank you."

"Lily—"

"I can't leave this house. It's home."

"And I can't leave you here alone." He jumped up onto the counter and waved his wand at the sink. The dishes sprung to life, cleaning themselves vigorously and then placing themselves properly in the nearby drying rack.

Lily placed her hand on the counter and turned to face him. "I promised them, Remus. I promised my parents I would keep the house safe."

"It's just a house."

"No it's not. Not to them. You don't know what they've had to go through to get it. It's everything to them."

"I promise you," he said as he took both of her hands in his. "This house will still be standing when you return. We'll set wards on it and whatever other protections you want. Even if that means building a mote!"

She jumped onto the counter and sat next to him. "Don't be ridiculous, Remus. What would people say?"

"About the mote?"

"About me living with three guys?"

"Who cares?"

"The entire summer?"

"It's just two months!"

"Two _whole_ months!"

"I will run interference the entire time, I swear. All you'll have to do is call my name and I'll be there."

Lily sighed and leaned back against the bare wall. She said nothing, but held out her right pinky.

Remus enthusiastically hooked it with his and jumped off of the counter. "Brilliant now get packing, and I'll tell Prongs and Padfoot."

As he ran out of the kitchen, she banged her head against the wall and groaned.

_You could fit my entire house in here,_ thought Lily as she gazed at the large entryway. Upon walking through the front door, one had the option of three staircases: one on each side going up to the second level terrace, and one going down into the larger entrance hall.

"I wonder if there's food in the kitchen!" Exclaimed Sirius before he ran off somewhere into the depths of the house.

"I'll go put your stuff in your room," mumbled Remus as he walked down the middle staircase and into a corridor on the left.

Lily nodded and stepped down into the middle of the hall.

"Sure is nice of you to take everyone in," she said as she held onto the banister. She craned her neck to look at the art on the ceiling. "Is that a fresco?"

"Is Lily Evans saying thank you?" James smirked as he leaned against the banister opposite her.

"No!" She exclaimed, glaring at him. "I was just wondering what was in it for you?"

He shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. "It was painted by Giotto… I don't like being alone. Besides," he smirked looking back down at her, "who wouldn't want to spend the summer with his mates and the girl he fancies?"

She rolled her eyes and started towards the corridor she thought Remus had left through. "I guess it's hard to be the center of attention when you're sitting in an empty house."

"You know it's probably a good thing you didn't say thank you."

"Oh?" She turned, walking backwards.

"Because then the world might have ended," he responded cheekily.

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "You think you're so clever don't you?"

His smile only brightened. "Only as much as you do!"

Suddenly Lily began to laugh. She turned on her heal and walked away mumbling to herself, "incomprehensibly skewed…"

He frowned and took a few steps after her, but quickly gave up. "What just happened?"

Lily sat curled in the corner of a large leather couch surrounded by antique books she had pulled from their shelves to read. _If I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of the summer,_ she figured, _I might as well make something of it._

When Sirius interrupted her concentration she was in the middle of deciphering an old spell book written completely in ancient runes.

"Lily!" He called from a few floors down.

"Here!" She called back not looking up from the page.

The couch shifted as Sirius plunked down on it. "Hello, Dearie."

"Hello," she sighed as she closed her book, being sure to keep her place with her finger between the pages.

"We're going to play some Quidditch and could use a fourth player if you're interested!" He nudged her lightly, but she shrugged him off.

"I'm good, but thanks." She gave him a sarcastic wink, and reopened her book.

He jumped off the couch and began walking towards the door, but stopped once he was a few feet away. He glanced over his shoulder at her and turned around. "Hey Lil?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you for taking care of me."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I owed you. Now we're even."

"I don't know if me giving you a ride on my motorcycle is exactly the same as you saving my arse, but if you want to let me off the hook that easy... Well then I won't stop you."

She laughed lightly and then nodded her head back towards the window behind her. "Be careful out there, eh? I'm terrible at stitches. Wouldn't want to have to practice on you again so soon."

Sirius gasped dramatically and placed his hand over his heart. "When am I ever not careful, Lily Dearie?"

Lily snorted and looked down at her book.

He howled with laughter and took a step towards her wagging his finger. "Well now that's not very lady like."

"Never said I was a lady," she countered smoothly.

"Prongs did," he sang as he wiggled his eyebrows ridiculously.

Lily flipped the book open again and attempted to find her place, "yah well he's an idiot."

His smile faltered as he watched her, but he knew better than to push the subject much further. "Just because a guy likes you doesn't mean he's a prat," he said quietly, before nodding to her large piles. "Don't hurt yourself with all those books there."

"Don't fall off your broom."

Lily focused her eyes on the page, and only allowed herself to look up once she had heard the door click shut behind him. She tucked a freed curl behind her ear and distracted herself with translating the ruins.

Lily remained in the library for the majority of the day, only breaking for lunch and for one or two stretches. Once the sun set, the library became very dimly lit despite the copious amounts of lamps scattered throughout the room. She sighed, and closed the last of her books. She left the library and ventured off to find the boys.

After loosing her way several times, Lily finally found James and Sirius in the main sitting room. She hovered in the doorway trying to decide if she should go in or attempt to find Remus instead.

She turned to leave, unnoticed by the boys who were sitting on the couch with their backs to her, but stopped when she heard James speak.

"Uh hi," he said as he ran his hand through his hair. Lily opened her mouth to respond, but Sirius spoke up.

"Helloooooo!" He sang in a high-pitched voice.

"How are you do—"

"Oh bugger off!" exclaimed Sirius in the same voice.

"Come on!" James groaned, trying to cover his frustration with laughter.

"What the bloody hell are you babbling about!" exclaimed the flamboyant Sirius.

James couldn't hold in his laughter any longer. His chest shook so violently that he could barely breathe. "Now, that's just McGonagall, not—"

"What the hell are you two doing?"

"Lily!" James spun in his seat to face her. She couldn't see his blush in the dark lighting, but she could tell she wasn't supposed to hear what they were saying. She wished she hadn't stayed or said anything at all—not that she had meant to.

"Nothing, Dearie!" Smiled Sirius, refusing to give up his new voice. "Come sit!"

She stared between them, but then shook her head and walked through the sitting room into the next hall. "Wankers… Remus!"

James and Sirius lay sprawled out on the large oriental rug that spread across the sitting room. Remus and Lily sat on opposite ends of the large couch, both of them with their legs stretched straight out.

Remus wiggled his toes so as to prod Lily gently in her thigh. "Hey Lil?"

"Hm?" She drew her gaze up to him and eventually raised an eyebrow at his lingering stare. 

"What are you doing in that shack in your garden?"

"Nothing." She glanced back down at book.

"Nothing?"

Lily shrugged, grudgingly returning her eyes to Remus's. "Its just stuff. Petunia kept getting into it, so I had to move it out there."

"What stuff are you doing with Wolfsbane?"

"What?"

Remus glanced over at his two friends playing cards and lowered his voice. "What stuff are you doing with Wolfsbne?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She swallowed, trying to return moisture to her mouth.

"I accidentally brushed up against it as I was trying to get those vials…" He carefully set his book on the ground and began to roll up his left sleeve. He grimaced as the fabric moved against the soars.

Lily's eyes widened immediately at the sight. She tossed her book to the side and scooted herself closer to Remus on the couch. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"Didn't want to bring it up in front of the others." He nodded towards James and Sirius, who were fully absorbed in their game of cards. She followed his gaze and then took his wrist in her hand slowly turning the arm to get a better view of the festering wound.

"Remus, this isn't good."

"You got anything for it?"

Lily shook her head no. "Were Mrs. Potter's supplies cleared out? She'd have something."

"I don't think anyone's touched them."

"Right then, come on." She carefully pulled him up from the couch and led him into the corridor. As Remus exited the room James caught a glimpse of his leg. He turned and glanced at the empty couch.

"I don't know where anything is," said Remus as he sat down on a stool in the middle of the dusty room.

"She would have kept it with her remedies…" Lily said more to herself than to anyone else as she walked along the book case lined walls. "Ah-hah! Looks like these are organized alphabetically by their brewer's last name, but these must be her own creations…" She got down on her hands and knees to view the bottles on the lower shelves.

"What were you doing with Wolfsbane?"

"Just brewing some potions. Here! Wolfsbane antidotum. Show me your arm." She jogged over to him and took his arm before he could move it. Lily removed her wand, banishing his shirt, and then ran it over the soars to remove any dirt.

"What were you brewing?"

"Just some experimental antidotes." Next she uncorked the bottle and applied some of its lotion to his arm.

"Ow."

"Sorry."

"Antidotes for what?"

"Lycanthrope," she corked the bottle again but immediately clamped her eyes shut once she realized her absentmindedness. "Damn it!"

"You're trying to cure lycanthrope?"

Lily looked up at him through her fallen hair and shook her head. "There's no cure. I think… I think the bite alters part of the maternal gene so you can't change it back, but I do think that there is some potion to be made that can seriously dull the side-effects and possibly stop the transformation."

Remus stared at his friend for several moments before finding his words again."How long have you been working on this?"

"A few years."

"A few?"

"Three."

He closed his eyes and tried to make sense of what she was telling him."But all those potions and plants, they couldn't all be for the antidote. What were those for?"

She bit her lower lip and pressed her palms together in prayer position. "Please don't be mad."

"Why would I be mad?"

"Money's always been tight, but now without Dad's income well we couldn't even really scrape by especially not with the wedding Petunia planned—"

"What did you do?"

"Since all the Ministry regulation on apothecaries a certain market has developed…"

"No—"

"Remus—"

"The Black Market?" Suddenly he jumped to his feet, knocking the stool over on its side. "Are you out of your mind!"

"I needed the money!" She exclaimed as she took two steps backwards."And it wasn't anything bad!"

"Oh no? No Living Drought? Wow, how thoughtful of you, Lily!"

"Remus, please—" Her voice cracked slightly as her eyes darted towards the door.

"What are you partnering up with Snivellus?"

"Don't call him that!" She shouted.

"Why not!" He roared back."He hurt you, or have you completely lost your mind!"

The doors to the potions room burst open as James and Sirius came running in. "What the hell is going?"

"How could you be so stupid?" Remus's words were almost inaudible. He stared at Lily, his eyes darkened and his jaw lax. 

A single tear fell down her cheek as she shrugged."I don't know. I'm sorry, but I didn't see another option." Her face began to redden as she sniffed back more tears.

Remus covered his mouth with his hand and turned away from her. In a moment James was standing by his side, and Sirius between them and Lily.

Lily's shouts came from her stomach, as if she had violently thrown them up. "You're such a hypocrite! I doubt you'd be this upset if I was selling that antidote."

James allowed Remus to take two steps before grabbing him by the arm, stopping him. "I wouldn't _ever_ want it if it risked your life."

James's eyes dart to Lily nervously.

"I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth.

"And your family? How are they?" He retorted coldly.

James could see a dangerous fire flare behind Lily's eyes, prompting him to pull Remus back. "Alright, let's get some air, Mooney. Come on."

James had to practically pull his friend from the room, but once they were out of the doorway Remus freed himself and stalked off in the direction of the main house.

Lily covered her mouth with her hand as tears freely streamed down her cheeks.

Sirius stepped forward and enveloped her with his arms. "This about you selling on the Black Market?"

Lily pulled back slightly so she could see his face. "How?"

"Regulus told me." She groaned, and buried her face in his shoulder. "You got to stop it, Lily. It's getting too dangerous."

"I can't."

"If this is about the money, I can cover you until you get back on your feet."

She shook her head and smiled sadly."It's not about the money."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm scared."

Sirius pulled her into another hug and patted her on the back of her head."You're safe. Don't worry."

"And my family?"

"They're safe too."

Lily sat with her legs pulled tightly into her chest at the window seat in her room looking out at the green acres in front of her that made up the park. At the sound of knocking at the door she immediately swung her legs over so that her toes touched the ground and gripped the edge of the seat, ready to push herself up.

James poked his head in first, smiled softly, and then allowed the rest of his body to join them.

"You don't have to get up," he said rather softly as he took a few steps towards her. "I called my dad."

"Potter—"

"He has a couple of his guys keeping an eye on them."

Lily merely nodded and looked down at her feet. Someone else knocked at the door, causing her neck to snap upwards.

Remus looked between them before asking, "can I?"

"Yes, o-of course," she whispered as she stood wearily.

James gave a small nod before closing the door behind him.

"Lily, I am so—" Remus began as he walked further into the room, but Lily's body colliding into his cut him off. He hugged her to him tightly.

"Me too."

"I don't like fighting."

"Me either," she said as she pulled away slightly so she could wipe away some of her tears.

"You have to stop this."

"I know."

"I mean it. No more."

She nodded and smiled faintly."I know."

"Good," Remus pulled her towards him again and kissed her on the forehead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Marlene's finger gently traced the smoky skull's image on the cover of the Daily Prophet. The skull floated above a smoldering heap, which according to the caption had been a Muggle church. She shook her head and pulled back her finger. _Get it together, Mar. _She scolded herself; _it's only a picture. _

She glanced over her shoulder, which to her felt like the hundredth time, but her father was still exactly where she had left in the travel section before going off to find her schoolbooks. Marlene sighed, gathering up her large pile of books, and walked over to the window. She could wait fifteen more minutes. _Let the man dream a little. He's had a rough go._ She dropped her books on a table covered in magazines situated right next to the front window. She picked up the latest version of Witch's Weekly, but began to watch the people scurrying about outside instead of looking at the colorful pages.

Mothers hustled their children about, and some fathers carried their littlest children. There were some students she recognized from school, but none that she had any desire to speak to. She sighed again and glanced down at the magazine; however she quickly became annoyed with the attention seeking colors and tossed it aside. When she looked out the window again, she saw a rush of red and straightened her back. She strode towards the door and stepped out onto the street.

The red flashed again, the curls flying through the air as the girl who wore them spun around quickly, her arm caught in a large man's close hand. Marlene hesitated for a moment, but then quickened her pace.

"—and I'm not taking no for an answer!" he roared as he tugged on her arm.

"Hey Lily!" She called as she neared the two. "Everything alright here?" Marlene sent her nastiest glare to the red faced man and tried to hide her grimace when he bared his rotten teeth at her.

"Just having a conversation," he grunted.

Even from four feet away Marlene could smell the whisky on his breath. She gripped her wand in her hand and took another step forward.

"No, you _were_ having a conversation. It's over now." She glanced around at the crowded alley and smiled for the first time that day. **"**Wouldn't want to make a scene now would we?

He showed his yellow and browning teeth again; however he no longer intimidated Marlene. She merely raised an eyebrow expectantly. He dropped Lily's arm and before stalking off mumbled: "We'll talk again, Ginger."

Lily rubbed her arm as she watched his massive figure slowly disappear into the crowd.

"Lily, are you okay?" She took Lily's hand, waking her out of her stupor, and tilted her head as if to better examine the girl she had just saved.

Lily's head snapped towards Marlene and then nodded. "Yah, I'm fine," she said quietly.

"What the hell was that?"

Lily shrugged, unsure of what to say. "Who knows? Just some drunk I guess, but um thanks for well… "

"Of course," Marlene dropped her hand and stepped back slightly. "How are you?"

"Fine. You?"

Marlene shrugged. "I've been better."

Lily's blank expression faded into a look of concern. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yah I'm fine, just stressed I guess with it being our last year and all. The real world's just coming faster than I expected." She laughed due to nerves, so Lily gave her a smile.

"Yah, it sure is." She had no idea what to chat about with Marlene. Clearly since Marlene wasn't running off she wanted to chat, but Lily couldn't fathom why. She had nothing against the girl. They had always been cordial, and Marlene had been friendlier to her than other girls but Marlene was also one of 'the girls.' She had the perfect blonde hair, the perfectly straight eyeliner, and the perfect laugh. She was widely popular at school with even a few friends in Slytherin. Lily glanced around the alley hoping to gain some inspiration from the people socializing around them. "You here alone?"

Marlene shook her head no. **"**My dad's in the bookshop. I just saw you out the window so I thought I'd just… Who are you here with? Are you parents here?" She began to look about the alley as well.

Lily's hand instinctively began to rub the back of her neck. "Uh no they're out of town."

Marlene's face dropped, but she fought the urge to take Lily's hand again. "So soon before you go away for school?"

Lily shrugged, but refused to look her in the eye. "It couldn't really be avoided."

"Well if you're here alone you should shop with my dad and I—"

She snapped her head towards Marlene as her hands flew up into the air. "Oh no! I don't want to intrude on your time together—"

"Are you crazy? He'll be staring at books for ages. I was going to hit a few stores on my own anyways."

"Oh well I'm not actually here alone—"

Suddenly, over the hubbub of the crowded street, two voices could be heard calling out Lily's name. Marlene tilted her head again as she listened to the voices.

"Are you here with Potter and Black?"

Lily rolled her eyes. It really couldn't be avoided.

"Found her!" Remus squeezed between two wizards and appeared between the girls. "Lily, where the hell did you run off to? Oh hello Marlene."

"Hi, Remus," Marlene smiled politely.

"Thank Merlin!" exclaimed James as he came running up to them.

"James," nodded Marlene.

He ran his hand through his messy hair. "Oh hey Marlene, funny seeing you here, eh?"

"Very funny," she agreed as she glanced over at Lily. "Especially with Lily here too…"

"I told you we should have put her on a leash," grumbled Sirius as he leaned on Lily's shoulder.

"Hey!" Lily pushed him off of her in protest.

"It was my fault." Suddenly eight eyes were on Marlene. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I was just asking her about some of the things on our list." **holds up list w letter**

Remus raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "What kind of things?"

"Uh…"

"Gloves for Herbology," Lily stepped forward and took the list from Marlene. "We were just looking for some."

James pointed at the window display behind the two girls. "They're some right there."

"Well you interrupted us," she said through clenched teeth.

"You ran off!" He exclaimed in defense.

"I'm not five years old!" She retorted haughtily.

"You sure about that?" Interjected Sirius, "Because your behavior is saying otherwise…"

"Okay what the hell is going on here?" demanded Marlene as she looked between the faces in the group before finally resting on her friend's. "Lily, have they kidnapped you or something?"

"I…"

Sirius wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulders, "lost a bet. Hey are you coming to our little shindig this year?"

"What shindig?" asked Lily as she shrugged him off of her.

Marlene straightened her posture. "I'm thinking about it."

"What do you mean thinking about it?" Sirius whined as he turned his full attention to the pretty blonde.

"I mean I am considering going!" She laughed.

"You have to come!"

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

Marlene smiled at him, and Sirius slowly began to smile back. Remus, bored of the show, interjected.

"Well I've got to get some things…"

"Me too," said Lily as she looked between Marlene and Sirius.

"Me three!" exclaimed James happily as he stepped closer to Lily. "So let's go! We'll see you at the shindig, Marnlene?"

Marlene turned her head, breaking her eye contact with Sirius, and smiled. "I'll think about it, but I might need some convincing."

She glanced back at Sirius. He wrapped his arm around Lily and winked. "Well Lily here will be there!"

"What shindig!" exclaimed Lily, finally allowing her annoyance to be shown.

Marlene smiled. "Well then she'll definitely need some protecting for the likes of you three." A short, grey-haired man stepped out of Flourish and Blotts and called her name. She waved at him before returning her attention to the group. "Well I'd better get going. See you later!" She ran towards the older man and followed him back into the bookshop.

Lily looked between the boys. "What—"

"We throw a big end of the summer party every year." He explained, "I always mail you an invitation."

Lily shrugged Sirius's arm off, again, and started to walk down the alley. "Never got one."

"You never got an invitation?" He asked walking after her. "Not a single one?"

She shook her head. "Did you send me things often?"

James stopped walking. "You're kidding, right?"

Lily sighed and began to walk backwards to look at the boys. "I thought the whole idea of not taking Sirius to the hospital was to be inconspicuous."

"If I knew what that meant I would disagree with you," replied Sirius nonchalant.

Lily rolled her eyes as he walked past her into the quill shop. Remus stepped next to her. "It would be conspicuous to _not_ throw our annual summer party."

"You never got _any_ of my letters?" James asked as he caught up to them.

"No," she said as the bell above the door rang as she entered the shop. "How many did you send me?"

"A few…"

Sirius barked with laughter. "Hundred!"

James quickly strode over to him and smacked him upside the head. The two began bickering, and Lily walked over to the counter.

"You really didn't get any of his letters?" asked Remus as he stepped next to her.

"I never got any mail from anyone."

"You didn't get mine either?"

She turned to him questioningly. "How many unknown pen pals do I have?"

"How did you not get any of our letters?"

She shrugged and looked down at the quills under the display case. **"**Owls never came to the house."

"What about your Hogwarts letter?"

"Always came through the post."

Remus nodded, but didn't ask anything further. He doubted she give him the answers he wanted.

Lily picked a quill discarded on the counter top and used it to tickle her nose. "Remus?"

"Hm?"

"How many letters did you write me?"

"Just a few. After I never got any responses I gave up."

She kept her eyes focused on the quill, examining its vane, so that she could avoid meeting his gaze. "And James?"

Remus smiled down at her. "He never gave up."

She glanced up at him and sighed. "He really should."

"Oy, Moony!" called Sirius from across the shop. "Come look at this!"


End file.
